Return to the Kingdom
by Pernshinigami
Summary: Amid preparations for the next duelists kingdom, passions erupt and tempers are on hair trigger. And who is this mysterious Fera Mouto? Is Nyassa REALLY Seto's missing twin? And just who IS Element Wheel? yaoiyuri YugiXYami SetoXJoey
1. Default Chapter

Return to the Kingdom 

By Nyassa Kaiba (a.k.a. Nyassa Kai's Clone)

Notes: I wanted to do Duelist's Kingdom, MY way. So that's basically what this fic is about. I do not own Yugioh. If I use any songs, then I don't own THEM either. But I do own the band called Element Wheel; (a.k.a. Nyassa Kaiba, Natari Pegasus, Fera Mouto, Selene Underwood, and Carola Raptor). They're mine. I also own Chuck, Nneka, Joe-joe, Shelly, Charla, Stev, Mr. Celedon, Kathy and the other Cosplayers/S-Class Eliminators. You wanna use them, drop me a line and ask. Also, Duel and Shiara belong to Fate VII on

Right. Here comes the fic…

########################################################################

Yugi and Yami were on their way home from Tea's dance recital that evening. Tea had come with them. Tristan, Joey, and Ryuuji (a/n: Duke Devilin's Japanese name) had come with them. Unfortunately Tea was currently not speaking to Joey.

"Aw come on Tea! I was just having a little fun!" Joey protested.

"FUN?" Tea snapped. "Fun???? Joey, I fell and could have twisted my ankle. You make FACES in the middle of MY recital?? Do that again and I'll KILL that Red Eyes of yours the next time we DUEL!" She swatted him with her duffel bag.

"Alright children, settle down." Ryuuji said placating. "Tea it's okay. I'm REALLY sure that Joey will never do that again. RIGHT Joey?"

"Oh alright! But you should have seen the look on your face Tea!"

"You mean like the time we flipped her skirts with a T-square?" Tristan asked pointedly. "Or the time that she caught you and Yugi passing Porn Tapes in class? I'm sorry buddy there's funny, and there are some things that JUST aren't funny."

Yami had come out of the puzzle in shade form to join the conversation and watch the recital. "That WAS mean Joey. And what is a Porn Tape?"

Joey threw back his head in laughter. "It's a video tape of people having sex Yami!"

"And they're generally FROWNED upon." Tea growled, swatting Joey's legs with her bag again.

"Yugi!" Yugi's grandfather came out of the shop. "You've got a package!"

They all crowded around the couch as Yugi opened the package. "A dueling gauntlet, and three starchips?" Yugi's face turned white with fear. "But we beat Pegasus already."

Yami responded to Yugi's fear by transforming him. "Hm… I don't see a video tape like last time. That has to be a good sign." He delicately opened the letter and began to read.

"Dear Yugi Mouto,

My name is Natari Pegasus. You have probably already met my brother Maximillian. You may or may not have heard. But he lost his memory when he lost his Millenium Eye. After extensive planning I want to put together Duelist's Kingdom as it SHOULD have been. No cheats, no traps, and easier Eliminators. It has taken me two years to do it. But I have rebuilt Duelist's Kingdom Island. Revised the rule book, and taken steps to prevent and reduce injuries and casualties. When they get home, your friends Joey, Serenity, Tristan, Tea, Bakura, and Ryuuji should find similar packages. It is my hope that you will accept my invitation. For I offer you this chance freely.

Sincerely,

Natari K. Pegasus" Yami finished, putting the letter down.

"Wow! She went through all that trouble to recreate Duelist's Kingdom?" Joey asked. "Alright! And we actually have a choice this time about whether or not to go. Still, I don't like placing Serenity in possible danger like that."

"So what should we do?" Tristan asked. "Go or stay. This COULD be an elaborate trap."

"I don't think so." Tea said softly. She stared at the TV, where, exactly two years ago, Yugi's grandfather had been sucked into the Shadow Realm. "She sounded sad almost, kind of tired."

"I'm going." Ryuuji said, taking a deep breath. "I missed it last time. Not again!" He said with a wicked grin.

What do you think Hikari? Yami asked.

Yugi thought for a moment. It would be nice not to have the pressure on for once. Just to duel as it was meant to be, you know? No price to pay. To actually have a choice about Dueling.

Would you like to go then? Yami asked.

Definitely! Yugi exclaimed.

"Yugi wants to go." Yami said, speaking up for the first time.

"That sounds like Yugi alright." Joey said with a grin. "He'd go anywhere to Duel."

Yami rolled his eyes at such a stupid comment. True, Yugi liked Games. But he didn't like ones where the pressure was on and the stakes were high. That was why he had called on Yami whenever there was trouble.

"So we'll head home and get some sleep." Tristan told everybody. They all agreed.

That night, Yami appeared in solid form next to Yugi in bed. He did this from time to time. Yugi liked when he did this. He found Yami's presence with him comforting. "Aibou, you haven't slept a wink. Is something wrong?"

"I'm just nervous about going back. I mean, last time we barely escaped with our lives." Yugi shivered. "What if this IS a trap and we're walking right into it. I mean, Natari might want revenge for what happened to Pegasus."

Yami nuzzled Yugi gently. "It's okay to be scared. Maybe we shouldn't go after all."

"NO! I want to go! I want to go back. I mean, things have been so boring around here lately. I could use an adventure." He reached out and stroked Yami's hair gently.

Yugi was never sure when he realized that he loved Yami. It seemed like he always had. But every time he got the chance to tell him, he couldn't go through with it. Tonight was going to be different, Yugi told himself. Tonight he made Yami HIS. "Yami-kun, we've known each other for a long time right?" He asked gently.

"Yes, for at least three years." Yami affectionately buried his face in Yugi's hair, breath warming his right ear.

"If I told you something, would you not tell anyone, not even Tea?" Yugi asked worriedly.

"What is it?" Yami asked, blinking in surprise. Yugi had never before asked the Pharaoh to keep something secret from the others. It was quite unlike Yugi.

Yugi trembled softly in Yami's arms. He took a deep breath, then another, then finally he blurted out. "I love you!"

Yami froze, looking down at the delicate figure in his arms. "Y… Yugi?"

"I have for so long, but I couldn't figure out how to tell you!" Yugi's eyes filled with tears.

Yami pulled him closer, silencing Yugi with a tender kiss on the lips. Trembling, Yugi responded to the kiss, pleasure rippling through him, right down their precious link. He opened his mouth, moaning softly. Yami took the opportunity to slip his tongue inside Yugi's mouth, exploring, twining his tongue with Yugi's. When they finally pulled away, Yugi panted, his face an inch away from the Pharaoh's. "Yami-kun." Yugi moaned softly.

"You have only to ask, Yugi." Yami said voice hoarse with lust.

"Take me." Yugi moaned softly.

Yami was about to do just that when his solid form began to faze. "Damn! Not again!"

"Yami-kun!" Yugi cried softly, and with considerable disappointment as Yami reverted to shade form.

"I'm sorry aibou. I can't control it!" Yami's tone was soft, but bitter with disappointment. He reached out to hold Yugi one last time before he was sucked back into the Millenium Puzzle. Damn! So close!

It's okay Yami-kun. You can't help it. Yugi said, with bitter disappointment.

In his soul room, Yami fell to his knees. "But I want you so badly." He whispered sadly.


	2. Enter the Closet of Love

Return to the Kingdom Chapter 1 

The next morning Seto showed up at the shop, asking for Yugi. "I know we have to go to school, but this can't wait." He said worriedly.

"You got a package?" Yami asked, coming out of the puzzle in shade form.

"You got one too?" Seto asked. He snorted as the three of them began to walk to school. "It figures. She's doing this perfectly. She's stacking the competition. How much do you want to bet that it comes down to either you versus either me or Marik or somebody else with a Millennium Item?"

"No bets. But we're going anyway. Joey's going, so are Ryuuji, Tristan and Tea. And Joey's little sister Serenity was invited too." Yugi said. He HATED having to look up at Seto. He looked so scary when he wasn't transformed. It was probably the issue of height.

"All the old crowd." Seto grunted. "This won't be too bad I suppose." He sighed.

They walked in silence until they reached school. The last day of classes was what Joey called a "run around day." There were no lessons because finals were over. But they still had two days of school left. So that was a day for what Tristan had wisely called, SDD; Sex, Drugs, and Drama. The Janitor's closet is empty. Yugi said, tempting Yami in what he hoped was a suggestive tone.

And if we get caught?

There's the screening room in the library. Yugi went on. It's almost always empty. And I'll bet the closet off the computer lab is free.

You… But Yami was laughing mentally.

"Oh Yu-gi!" Rex waved a hand in front of his face, a hand bedecked with a dueling gauntlet.

"Huh?" Yugi jumped.

"Were you invited?"

"To what?" Yugi asked. "I'm sorry, I wasn't listening."

"To the second Duelist's Kingdom of course!" Rex rolled his eyes. "Weevil and I both have our gauntlets! And I heard that Bone got one too and that Keith's on his way over to the nearest hotel to wait until the boat comes to take us over!"

Yugi blinked. "Yeah, I got one. Who'd have thought that Pegasus had any relatives?"

"He does. He's got Natari, and an adopted daughter Shiara. I heard that Shiara is one of the Eliminators this year. And she gets to make up her own cards!" Rex grinned wickedly. "She could make up something really nasty and deck you with it. Pardon the pun."

Yami laughed inwardly. Yeah, pun pardoned.

Yugi rolled his eyes. "Well, I'm not likely to miss this."

"Do me a favor." Rex whispered. "If you see her before Duelists Kingdom, peg Mai with a water balloon for me. I heard she HATES water."

Yugi laughed. "Rex that's not nice!"

"No, but it's funny!" Rex grinned. "After all, you DID laugh." He got up from the chair he'd been straddling. "I heard that Mr. Celedon is going to be there too."

"You mean the elderly history teacher?" Yugi demanded. "I didn't know that he played Duel Monsters!"

"He does, and he's going to be an Eliminator this year. He's got special privileges I heard." Rex said, before turning to go. "Good luck!"

Seto rolled his eyes. He sat between Joey and Yugi that year. It was odd, Yugi thought. It was almost as if he didn't mind it. Yami-kun, can you read other people's thoughts the way you can mine?

You're curious about Seto? Yami asked.

Sort of.

I can't read minds, but I CAN read emotions. Yami replied.

Can you read Seto's?

Yes… There was a pause. Now that's interesting.

What? What is? Yugi asked eagerly.

He's got a crush on Joey! Yami giggled in glee. Oh I can't wait to tease him with this one! This will be so funny!

Yami-kun!! Yugi was almost sorry he'd asked. That's mean!

But it's funny all the same. Yami laughed wickedly.  He took control of Yugi and scribbled a note. Then he wrote on the front. To Seto, from Yami. He handed Seto the note and almost doubled over with laughter.

What did you write? Yugi demanded.

Roses are red, violets are blue, Joey is single and so are you. BTW the Janitor's closet is unoccupied. Go to it Romeo. Yami had returned to the puzzle and Yugi was slowly turning purple in embarrassment.

Seto read the note and practically choked. His face turned red, then blue, then white before turning purple with rage. He tore the note in half, crumpled it in a ball, and threw it on the floor.

That was where Joey picked it up. He put the two halves of the note together and read it. Then he broke down in laughter. Seto was slowly turning redder, and redder. Joey's eyebrows shot up into his hair. Seto stood, snatched the bathroom pass and stormed out of the room.

Joey was still laughing when they were excused for lunch. "Yug, that was classic! How'd Yami know that Seto was gay?"

"I have NO idea." Yugi said, flushing in embarrassment.

Joey really DID pass the janitor's closet that day. That was when he heard the muted sound of somebody sobbing. Joey opened the door a crack and saw Seto, oblivious, curled up on the floor, crying. Seto, crying? "It's not fair." He muttered.

"What isn't?" Joey asked.

Seto jumped about a mile. "J… Joey?" He asked.

"Yeah, it's me." Joey flicked on the dim light and closed the door behind them. The closet was more like a room in itself, with hooks and buckets and such for everything. There were even a few shelves. It had been built in the alcove underneath the stairs.

"I…" Seto seemed to freeze up.

"It's okay. I don't see anything wrong with it… with being Gay." Joey said softly. "I've… I've begun to wonder myself lately." He sat down on an upturned crate, his head in his hands. "It's just… weird you know?" Joey asked, smiling wanly at Seto. "It's scary…" He shivered.

Seto stood, walking over to him. He pulled Joey gently to his feet, looking silently into his eyes. Blue met amber, in a mild gaze, an assessment really. It was, however, Joey who made the first move. He took a step forward, wrapping his arms around Seto's waist. Then, looking into his eyes all the time, Joey reached up and pulled Seto into a kiss.

Seto jumped about a mile. Then he leaned into the kiss, returning it with slow tenderness, pulling Joey closer to him. Joey submitted to the kiss, pulling back only for air before Seto brought them gently to the ground. Seto ran a hand up Joey's thigh and Joey moaned softly in pleasure. Seto grunted, grinding their hips together.

The make out session came to an abrupt halt when they heard, against the door. bam bam and a cry of, "Marik! Jeez! Can't you wait until we're in the closet first?"

Joey froze and turned deep, deep read. The door cracked open, and, panting heavily, Bakura and Marik fell backwards into the closet. Bakura struggled to rise, and Marik hauled him up into a long, passionate kiss before turning him around and shoving him gently into the closet.

That was when they noticed that the closet was occupied. "Whoops!" Marik grinned foolishly. Bakura turned as red as a beet.

So did Seto, having been caught in a rather… questionable position with Joey. "Right, we'll find another place to make out." Joey said, clearing his throat and dragging Seto away.

Marik grabbed them both by the back of the jacket first. "Nope, stick around! I wanna ask you two something."

Oh, boy. Joey thought. Here it comes!

"Were you guys invited to Duelist's Kingdom too? I've never gone." Marik held up the hand that he'd put his new dueling gauntlet on.

"Yeah, the whole gang was invited." Joey said with a grin. "I'll kick your butt this time Marik!" Joey grinned foolishly.

In his dreams. Yami Bakura snorted in disgust. He won't be second this time I PROMISE you.

Bakura turned red. "My Yami says in your dreams, and that he'll make SURE that you're not second this time."

Joey grinned wickedly. "We'll see." Seto growled, and stalked off.

"Now where were we?" Joey heard Marik ask as the closet door swung shut.

For once in his life Seto threw back his head and laughed.


	3. The twice decided destiny

Return to the Kingdom 

I DO own the Blue Eyes Lullaby that Yugi's grandfather sings in this chapter. Ask and ye' may use it. .-!

Chapter 2 

Tea went to her favorite dance spot to find it occupied. The area was a stage in the local recreation hall's auditorium. She opened the door when a blast of sound from an electric guitar made her wince. _"I'm always one card short! Always one delay! For once I'd like an ending I can celebrate…"_

Then four other voices joined in. _"I stack the deck myself, so there's no one else to blame, I need just one more move, one final chance to pro-ove, I can win this game!"_

Then the first voice cut in again. _"One card short, one delay, oh give me something, something to celebrate!"_ The first voice trailed off.

Tea stepped into the room. Weevil was there, he was saying. "It's definitely a problem with the amplifier Nyassa. If you'd just let me have a look. I think I can fix it."

A girl with long, silky dark brown hair and cobalt blue eyes nodded. "Go ahead, we're so good at acoustics that we don't need the amp for the microphone. The guitar might be another story though."

Tea made an ahem noise. "I'm sorry to bother you."

The heads of five girls, plus Rex and Weevil swiveled around to see who had spoken. "Oh, Gardner, nice to see you." Weevil said coldly.

"Tea! Come on in and join the chaos!" Rex said cheerfully.

"I was going to practice my dancing." Tea said shyly.

"Well the stage is taken, sorry." Rex said with a diffident shrug. "You can watch though."

"Who are you guys?" Tea asked the brown haired girl.

"We're Element Wheel. You wouldn't have heard of us, but we're a new band." Said the girl with the brown hair. "Natari, Fera and I are the singers. Plus Natari and I play guitar. Selene here plays the keyboard. And Carola plays the drum. Rex does our hauling. And Weevil takes care of equipment maintenance." Nyassa nodded in turn at each of her companions. "We write songs about Duel Monsters battles. The one we were practicing was about Pegasus's duel against Yugi Mouto."

"Cause he was ooooonnnneee card short of a full deck!" Carola cackled with laughter. She wore a red hat just like Rex's and a green tank top with a turtle neck. She also wore tight darkly colored blue jeans. She had brown hair with a silver lock dangling between her eyes, just like Rex did.

Natari had long platinum blonde hair and large doe brown eyes. Her left eye seemed to shimmer. Tea realized that her left eye was just a hologram! Sure enough, the hologram faded away to reveal a silver version of the Millennium Eye. "Oh no not again!" Natari complained, reaching up to cover the afflicted eye. "It always goes out when I meet somebody new!" Natari slouched backward to sit on the stage.

"We'll get it right." Said Selene. She had long sea green hair, exactly the shade of Weevil's. Her eyes were softer than Weevil's though, and larger. She wore a white t-shirt and emerald green denim jeans. Selene put a comforting hand on Natari's shoulder.

"Don't worry about it Natari." Fera ripped open a chocolate bar with her teeth and attacked it with startling ferocity. She swallowed the first bite. "I'm Fera Mouto, pleased to meet you." Tea blinked.

She HAD to be a relative of Yugi's. True, her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, but it had the same lightning bolts of blonde, the same streaks of red, as Yugi. The purple eyes were the same as well. The only difference was that Fera was taller, slimmer, more delicate. She wore what looked like a silver version of the Millenium Puzzle. Tea was about to ask what it was. But she decided against it.

"It's a pleasure to meet all of you. My name is Tea Gardner." Tea said politely.

"Oh, you're on the list to go to Duelist's Kingdom." Nyassa said with a cheerful smile.

Nyassa held up her own hands. On them were a pair of white Dueling Gauntlets. They didn't have the single row of stars that a contestant would have had. These were the double row of an Eliminator. The right gauntlet had a symbol of a golden pentacle on it. Faulty starchips that had been discarded for any number of reasons had been sewn to the knuckles. On the left gauntlet an American Flag patch had been hand sewn on with great care and skill. "I'm an Eliminator for the new Duelist's Kingdom. S-Class to be precise."

"What's the difference?" Tea asked, taken aback. If this girl was an Eliminator then she might not be as nice as she pretended she was.

"An S-class Eliminator has special skills, like Mechanics or Ecology. My skill is Mediation. Also an S-class Eliminator has more privileges. I can make up cards if I want to. And I can distribute them as I care to. I don't use that privilege very often. Also, an S-Class Eliminator is allowed to take on apprentices. Fera is going to be competing, so she can't be. So is Selene. But Carola is signed on as my apprentice." Nyassa grinned. "It's gonna be wild right Carola?"

"Hell yeah!" Carola cheered.

"Right. Girls, while Weevil's fixing our noise box, why don't we sing something for our friend Tea here?" Nyassa asked, standing up.

The other girls nodded in agreement. "I'll get the boom box. We can use it to back us up since our amplifier's busted." Selene grinned and left. She came back a few seconds later with a boombox and a CD. "Okay, get ready girls. I'm counting in 3… 2… 1…"

They took their places. The music began to play. The girls stood in a line, with Fera and Nyassa at the front.

_"How'd it come to this_

_After all we've been through_

_Two of a pair, now on opposite sides_

_From the very start, with honor we've dueled_

_Watched each other's back and we've battled with pride"_

It took Tea about two seconds to realize that they were singing about Yugi and Joey. Then her face glowed with pride as she heard her words two years ago sung back to her.

_"We are closer than brothers_

_And now we have to fight each other_

_And we trust our fate to the heart of the cards_

_No matter what_

_Let the games begin_

_No matter what_

_May the best man win_

_No matter what_

_We're in this together_

_No matter what_

_We'll be friends forever_

_No matter what_

_It's been you and me_

_Hanging out playing games_

_Didn't everything ever get this hard_

_Time's running out, and there's so much at stake_

_Everything riding on the turn of a card_

_We'll show 'em what we're made of_

_As we fight for the ones we love_

_And we'll be friends to the very end_

_No matter what!"_

They finished with a flourish. Tea grinned, applauding. "That was beautiful!" She exclaimed.

"You were the one who inspired it." Natari said with a grin. "I was there when Yugi and Joey dueled. I was also there when you said they were closer than brothers, and that it would be sad if their friendship didn't survive the duel."

"You heard that?" Tea demanded.

"Yes, I did. I also saw Yugi's Duel with Pegasus." Natari snorted in disgust. "Waste of talent on Pegasus' part if you ask me. But Yugi played his… ahem cards to the best of his ability in that duel. I wrote a song about that one too. You heard it when you came in."

Tea giggled. "Yeah, he sure was one card short!"

Rex laughed. "That's the spirit Gardner!"

Tea paused, before asking respectfully. "Fera, what's that pendant around your neck?"

"Oh, that? That's the Reflection Puzzle. You know what the Millennium Puzzle is right?"

Tea nodded. "Yes, what's that have to do with that thing?"

"Well, the Reflection Puzzle is meant to replace the Millennium Puzzle if it's ever destroyed." Fera explained. "It's sad though. I'm not allowed to meet my Millennium counter part. It's forbidden."

"You mean Yugi?" Tea asked.

"He's the one who's got it? Typical." Fera sighed. "That's sounds like what I've heard of him, but yes. Because if a Millennium Item and it's reflection get into a Shadow Game, then the Penalty Game is reflected back on whoever fired it." Explained Fera. "So I'm not allowed to meet him just in case we get into a Shadow Game." She slumped sadly on the stage.

"Does that mean that you can't Duel him either?" Tea asked. "I mean, you will be going to Duelist's Kingdom right? So will he! I can even introduce you to Yugi. He doesn't pull a person into a Shadow Game unless they hurt somebody he cares about." Tea explained. "So you should be safe. Come on!" She tugged Fera's arm gently.

"Yeah! That would be great Tea."

"Are you NUTS?" Demanded Rex.

"Nope, just altruistic. Rex it's a virtue you need to learn." Natari said, looping an arm around Rex's shoulder. "Come on girls; let's take that new one about Seto and Pegasus from the top. Okay?"

Tea lead Fera down the streets of Domino City to the Turtle Shop. Fera's eyes brightened. "My grandmother has a game shop too. It's called the Eagle Shop!" She took a deep breath, as though stealing herself to do something forbidden. She tied the Relfection Puzzle to her belt and pulled her jacket down to hide it.

Yugi, Joey, and Seto were there, debating over tactics. Seto was extolling the virtues of a burn deck when they came in. "I'm telling you. If you have enough burn cards in your deck, even if you can't play a monster you can still do…"

"If I may interrupt this tactical meeting." Tea said dryly.

The boys turned to face her. Fera seemed to shiver. She squeezed the puzzle hanging from her belt tightly. Tea gulped inwardly. Yugi had that habit too, when he was nervous about something. Her eyes unfocused and Tea realized what she was seeing. This girl had a Millennium Spirit as well. She was speaking with it.

"Yugi, I was on my way to the dance hall when I saw Fera here and her friends practicing their music." Tea began. "She's got a Millennium Item that looks like yours only silver, not gold."

"It's a reflection item ma'am." Fera said. There was a slight glow from the eye on the Reflection Puzzle and Fera grew noticeably taller, leggier. Her features refined to become harder, more sculpted. Tea smacked herself inwardly. Great, the last thing that she needed was a shadow game in the Turtle Shop. "There's a difference." Her voice was slightly deeper, having gone from contralto to alto/soprano.

Seto blinked. So he had caught the change too, Tea thought. Yugi clutched the chain of his puzzle. It's okay Hikari. Yami told him. I've heard of the Reflection Items before. Although I've never seen one. She's just nervous, that's why she's called on her spirit.

Yugi stood. "I'm Yugi Mouto, pleased to meet you." He held out his hand.

"And I'm…"

"FERA??" Yugi's grandpa demanded from the doorway. He had a backroom manifest on a clip board in his hand and a pencil behind his ear.

Fera whirled. "Do I know you?"

"No, I don't think you would."

"You know her Grandpa?" Yugi demanded.

"Yes…" Solomon put down the clip board. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner Yugi. It WAS planned for you sixteenth birthday coming up. I'm surprised that she showed up so soon."

"What's wrong?" Joey asked, looking from Yugi to Fera.

"Fera, pull the band out of your hair." Solomon said knowingly.

Fera did. Everybody gasped, as her hair fell from where it had been styled. Then it stood almost straight up, forming into spikes just like Yugi's. "She looks just like I do Grandpa!" Yugi exclaimed.

"Yugi… it's hard for me to say this… but Fera is your twin." Solomon said, sitting down with his head in his hands.

"WHAT???" Yugi demanded.

In his soul room Yami jumped about a mile. TWIN???

"Twin??" Seto demanded. "Great, two of him. That's the last thing that I need."

"But Grandpa, why didn't you tell us?" Yugi demanded.

"And why didn't grandma tell ME?" Fera shrilled. "I mean, I don't even know all of you beyond what I've heard, and I haven't met Tea at all!" She stepped back two paces.

"Fera calm down." Tea told her. Then she turned to Yugi's grandpa. "I'd like to hear the story behind all of this."

"Well I DON'T!" Fera shook her head and strode to the door of the shop.

Yugi's grandfather stood and looked at her retreating back. Softly he sang…

_"Look into your eyes of blue_

_Sleeping on a dragon's wing_

_Don't you fret, don't you cry_

_But most of all remember to try_

_Open minds and open hearts_

_Whether they're in bodies or cards."___

Fera whirled around, tears in her eyes, but she joined in.

_"Together we will cross the sea_

_You and me and dragon three."_

Fera regarded him strangely. "How did you know that lullaby?"

"I used to sing it to you when you were a baby." Solomon said with a wry smile. "You wouldn't remember. You were too young."

"But Grandpa, what happened?" Yugi asked, looking from one to the other.

"Your father and I got into a fight Yugi; one that I couldn't forgive him for, one that he couldn't let go of. He took Fera and went to America. And I stayed here with you and your mother."

"Dad's dead. I guess that's why he never told me." Fera sighed, flopping down into a chair.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Solomon said sadly. "He was a good man. We just didn't get along very well."

Fera smiled softly. "He told me that if I had faith in myself and in my deck, there wasn't a single duel that I couldn't win."

Solomon laughed. "That's what I told him… years and years ago!"

"How did he die." Yugi asked gravely.

"A car accident. He was on his way home from the nationals when the car slipped and crashed on the mountain roads. It was a rollover. The only things that survived the crash were his deck and the reflection puzzle." Fera shivered. "It was really weird. Everything else was burned up." She sighed.

"Must have been really sad." Tea commented.

_"Cold as death, death bearing_

_Stay and die unguided_

_Brave and braving linger_

_This way was twice decided." _Fera sang softly.

"I guess it was destiny for that to happen. Just as it was destiny for me to solve the Reflection Puzzle." Fera smiled, fingering the item gently. "I still miss him though." She said sadly. "Gran is going to throw a fit. She's the one who told me that a reflection item holder can't meet their Millennium counterpart."

"Well, if it was destiny for you to get your item. Then it was destiny for you to meet me." Yugi said with a smile. He held out his hand. "I'm Yugi Mouto. These are my friends, Joey Wheeler, Seto Kaiba, Tea Gardner, and my grandfather, our grandfather Solomon."

"Pleased to meet you Yugi." Fera said, taking his offered hand. They shook on it, and that was how Yugi gained a sister.


	4. Rock da boat!

Return to the Kingdom 

By Nyassa Kaiba (aka Nyassa Kai's Clone)

Notes: Things REALLY start to move along in this chapter.

Chapter 3 

It was time! After a week of furious preparations Duelists from all over the world met in Domino City, at the piers, to ride the boat to Duelist's Kingdom. For Yugi, Joey, Seto, Mokuba, Mai, Keith, Rex, Weevil, Maeko and Bones it was simply a matter of seeing familiar faces and following familiar routines. But for Tea, Tristan, Ryuuji, Bakura, Serenity, Ishizu and Marik it was their first time at a Duelist's Kingdom Tournament. And for some of them it was their first Tournament, period.

"Okay, remember Fera's song…" Tea said nervously. "_I won't give up, I won't back down, I'm not gonna panic. I will not run. I'll stand and fight…_"

"I didn't hear that one." Yugi said, interested. "Is that one about me?"

"Whoops!" Tea smacked a hand over her mouth. "Sorry, that one was supposed to be a surprise. Element Wheel is going to do a concert at Duelists Kingdom and they were going to sing that. They're going to sing Blue Eyes Lullaby too." Tea grinned.

"Oh, you mean that song about the Blue Eyes White Dragon?" Serenity asked. " Yugi's grandpa sang that one for me. It was pretty."

"That's it, sing and you won't be nervous." Mai said knowingly. "It helps if you have something to focus on. If you're thinking about anything but the tournament it will help keep you from being nervous."

"Thanks. I'll try that." Tea hummed the melody for the Panik song under her breath. Duelists crowded the pier. Tea saw quite a few familiar faces. Even Espa Roba was in on it this time. He was sitting on a pile of ropes, making a great show of meditating. His brothers were adding last minute additions to his back pack and camping gear. Maeko was polishing his spear. Bandit Keith was deftly tying on his bandana. Tea saw other familiar faces dawning their 'battle gear.'

Suddenly, from deep within the ship a gong sounded. Three shadows appeared within the ship. As they exited and the gong died away, Tea saw that these three figures weren't just any people! They looked like Duel Monsters! Only they weren't.

The first of them was a boy dressed as a Dark Magician. He HAD to be six feet tall and his skin black. His hair, instead of the dark magician's usual soft purple, was reddish brown and tied back in cornrows. His hat slipped back slightly, and Tea saw his intense green eyes.

In the middle was a silver fang. But closer inspection proved that the silver fang was really a person with a wolf's cloak tied around their shoulders. Under the cloak, the cosplayer wore a black leotard. The Silver Fang cloak draped over his shoulders and covered the upper half of his face. He walked hunched over, moving his arms as well as his legs. As a dancer, Tea had to admire the ingeniousness of his deception. The cosplayer was moving with incredible grace and dignity.

On the right most side of the deck, stood a Dark Magician Girl. Like the Dark Magician with her, she had reddish brown hair in cornrows and intense green eyes. The blush marks had been lovingly painted on her cheeks. Her staff slipped slightly in her hand, as Tea saw her shift her grip slightly as she walked.

Incredible! Tea heard Yugi gasp slightly as they appeared. "Cosplayers." Tea whispered.

"You'd almost think they were the real thing!" Yugi hissed back.

Behind them came… "Is that her?" Joey whispered.

"Oh that's her alright." Maeko hissed back. "Natari Pegasus. She's taken over Industrial Illusions. First thing she did was throw away all of Pegasus's Funny Bunny comic books!"

Joey snorted back his laughter. "I'll bet the big guy didn't like that."

"He didn't but he lost his memory." Maeko shook his head, testing the end of his harpoon. "Perfect, all set."

"Duelists, and dignified guests. I am proud to welcome you to Duelist's Kingdom." The shy, silver haired girl with a holographic eye was gone now. Here before them was a passionate speaker, strong, confident. She stood straight and tall, proud of what she was a glad to show it. Her hair was pulled back in a French braid, displaying the Reflection Eye, her power, for all to see.

"I see many new faces among the crowd, as well as old hands. I expect that this year, everybody new and old alike, will duel with honor and respect. Cheating will be dealt with harshly, with up to the loss of all starchips as punishment. New quarters have been constructed for the finals. Steps have been taken to assure your safety as well as a fun time. This year, you will not be forced to leave the island if you lose all of your Starchips. You will be escorted by my friends the Cosplayers to the Crystal Caverns Complex to await the finals. You will have the option of watching the competition this time.

"There have been a few changes to the rule book, which will be discussed at length when we make the crossing. I expect the dueling staff to be helpful and encouraging. I am also proud to welcome some guests to Duelist's Kingdom this year. They will have the privilege of using the Dueling Platforms. But they are not allowed to compete for starchips. A guest is signified by a black Dueling Gauntlet. You will all have quarters assigned in the Crystal Valley at the northern end of the Island.

"If you ever run into a problem on the trail, the Cosplayers will be on regular patrols to assist you. If you lose all your starchips, call to them like this… **Anima ad anima!!!!**" Natari cupped her hands to her mouth as she called.

About a half a dozen cries from both the crowd and the depths of the ship answered… "**Ave Ave Ave!!!"******

"That is the signal that you have been found and they're coming as fast as they can." Natari explained. "I should also warn you that there have been changes to who gets the top apartments. Two of them will be shared this year. Yugi Mouto gets apartment One. Joey Wheeler and Seto Kaiba will be sharing apartment Two. Rex Raptor and Weevil Underwood will be sharing apartment Three. Bandit Keith gets apartment Four. And finally Mai Valentine will get Apartment Five. Now, without further adeu, I will turn to Chuck the Dark Magician, and his sister Nneka the Dark Magician Girl to supervise the embarkation." She stepped back into the ship, seeming to fade into nothingness.

"Supervise the WHAT?" Joey demanded.

"Embarkation." Weevil hissed as he passed Joey.

"They're going to make sure that everybody's on board." Bandit Keith explained, shifting his back pack to his back. Joey did not miss the hunting knife sheathed at his side. So that one was armed this time. Or did Keith intend to use the knife as a tool on the trail. After all, if Maeko fished, then why couldn't Keith hunt?

"Oh." Joey blinked in surprise. "Hey wait for me!" He cried.

Mai rolled her eyes. "Joey if you keep up like that then you'll end up tiring yourself out too early. We'll have quite a hike to make if we're going to the northern end of the island." Mai unrolled a map and Joey, Yugi, Tristan and Tea peered over her shoulders.

"See? I went as far as the mountain region on the first day last time. I saw the construction they were doing in the northern end of the Island. That's going to be a two hour hike at least. Might be easier if we're going down hill, but I don't know. Listen, I went camping with Keith a couple times when we were younger. He's a good hiker and knows the rules of the road. You'd do well to follow his example, Joey. PACE YOURSELF." Mai warned.

"Right, like I'm gonna do anything that slime ball does." Joey muttered.

They were in line between Keith, Weevil, and Espa Roba. "Then go ahead and collapse from exhaustion Wheeler." Keith sneered.

"Hey why don't you leave him alone!" Espa Roba protested.

"Go ahead and worship your idol Roba." Keith sneered. "I'm going to camp practically this time. Although I hear they've constructed way shelters along the main paths. Here, here and here." Keith pulled out his own map. "I marked shelters that were being constructed last time I was there. Mai and I clashed quite a bit. See the X marks in red? That's where I battled her."

"I fought you to a draw last time we were here Keith, so keep your hands off." Mai gave him a swat that wouldn't hurt a fly and rolled her eyes.

"Can I see that map?" Weevil asked, jumping up.

Mai rolled her eyes again and clipped it to a clip board. "If you can copy maps okay, and promise not to throw it in the OCEAN like you did Yugi's Exodia I'll let you borrow it to make a copy."

"I'm a VERY good draftsman." Weevil said with pride. "You'll get it back."

"Why don't we compare notes when we get to our quarters." Keith suggested.

The three of them agreed. "Hey Mai, you gonna hang out with that bug?" Joey demanded pouting.

"You're welcome to join us Joey." Keith and Weevil groaned in dismay.

"Present your gauntlets please." Chuck said calmly. "Ah, Weevil, no more throwing cards in the ocean I hope." He said with a pointed smile.

"Nope, nope no way. I've got the ultimate strategy this time." Weevil said smugly.

"See that you don't, or we'll turn this boat right around and leave you behind on the pier." Chuck said pointedly. Joey snickered. "Well hello Mr. Wheeler and Welcome. And Hello to you too Mr. Mouto."

"What's up with you Wheeler?" Weevil sneered as they climbed onto the ship. "It wasn't your card that I threw away."

"No, but it was MY deck that you tampered with at Battle City." Joey grinned. "I can't WAIT to see you get trounced."

"He tampered with your deck? What did he do?" Keith demanded.

"Slipped in a card that affects the whole thing. Like that virus card that Seto used on Yugi shortly before the finals at the last Duelist's Kingdom. He had some punk kid slip the card in while pretending to beg for my autograph."

"What card was it?" Keith asked, curious.

"Parasite Paracide." Weevil said, flushing slightly as they headed up the stairs.

Keith made a face as they turned a corner. "I HATE that card."

"I won his Insect Queen though. I don't think I'll use it." Joey made a face. "That was the most disgusting Duel I've ever fought."

"Hmph." Weevil snorted.

Rex was waiting for them at their shared quarters. "Hiya Wheeler, didn't think I'd see you. Hey Yugi, you gonna do some backseat dueling this time?"

"Of course not. Joey's gotten good enough so that he could beat the crap out of all of you, any day." Yugi said loyally.

"Well spoken." Mai clapped. "Rex, if you want to come we're going to have a little tactical meeting. You remember the map that you, Keith, and I put together last time?"

"How could I forget?" Rex asked, arching an eyebrow at them.

"We're going to consolidate what we learned on our last journey and then Weevil's going to make copies for us." Mai explained.

"Well, I can help you with the new constructions." Rex said, ushering them into the quarters he and Weevil were to share. "I was there when they were being built." Rex flopped back on the couch. "I hope you don't mind Simple Plan. I work better with background noise." He put a CD into a portable CD player.

"I don't mind Simple Plan." Joey peered over Mai's shoulder as she, Rex, and Keith spread out their maps.

Weevil pulled a sketch pad out of his backpack and flipped through it. Most of the drawings were technical diagrams. Weevil didn't have much imagination. But then he came across a page that had portraits of Weevil's main monsters, Insect Queen was there, so were the two Kamakiris and a Man Eater Bug. But in the center was his Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth. "You drew those Weevil?" Yugi asked, amazed.

"Sort of. They aren't very good." Weevil said in a tone that suggested he didn't think much of his work. "Here's a blank page." He pulled all three maps in front of him. "Mai's has the least detail, so I'll start there."

As they watched, the island was carefully reduced to the page with incredible accuracy. Weevil wasted no lines, making the best of every blank space. He finished the outline of the island and sketched a key in the corner. Then he began to mark the trails from Mai's travels, then Keith's, finally he took the new details from Rex's map. "I think that's it." He said, checking his work.

"Weevil, that's amazing." Yugi blinked. "Where did you learn to draw diagrams like that?"

"I want to be a scientist, a scientist has to keep records Mouto." Weevil explained. "So I learned to keep records." He said with a shrug.

Interesting, the bug has some powers after all. Yami mused.

Yami that's rude.

Look, I'm not denying that he has talent, but his manners leave much to be desired. Yami said reasonably. Too bad he can't learn those. Somebody should send him to finishing school. Unless, of course, he's already been thrown out of finishing school.

Joey noticed the expression on Yugi's face and whispered. "What's wrong?"

Yugi said in a low voice that the other three couldn't hear. "Yami said they should send Weevil to finishing school, unless he got kicked out of it already."

Joey facefaulted. "Yami that's awful." Joey rolled his eyes.

"What's wrong Joey?" Mai asked.

"Tell you later Mai." Joey grinned. "It would be rude to say it now."

"Okay then, later."

Rex and Keith were fighting over the CD player. "Mine!" Keith growled, pouncing on it and scrambling to put in Godsmack.

"I'm the one who bought it!" Rex protested. "And it's in my room!"

"But I only have my diskman!" Keith protested. "Have mercy!"

"No! Simple Plan stays on."

Keith facefaulted. "The horror."

"Here you go." Weevil finished his copying of the map. "One for each of us."

"Alright!" Joey grinned, folding his away carefully.

"Just don't lose it Wheeler, 'cause I'm not making another one." Weevil said, putting away his sketchbook.

"There you are." Seto stood in the doorway. "You're late Joey."

"I've been in here the whole time. Are you looking for me?"

"Just worrying about whether or not you actually MADE it to the boat." Seto said snidely.

"Why I oughtta."

"Joey you DO tend to be late for things." Mai pointed out. "And wait, since when have you called Joey by his first name?"

"Since we snuck up on Bakura and Marik making out in the Janitor's Closet." Joey snickered. "That was priceless!"

Keith snorted. "Knew he had to be a Fag."

"Watch your language Keith. Your mouth will get you into trouble someday. Or did your experience at Duelist's Kingdom LAST time not teach you that?" Seto motioned for Joey to follow and turned on his heal.

Yugi watched in silence as Joey followed. "See ya later Yug!"

"Later." Yugi said with a small smile. He could guess what they would do.

The others all stared at Keith.

"Look. I haven't met this Bakura guy, so I'm not going to judge him. But Marik is a scumbag, plain and simple. Whatever Joey and Seto did to him, he deserved."

"Marik was being controlled by the spirit in his Millennium Item Keith." Yugi said gently. "He wasn't responsible for his actions."

Keith stuck his nose in the air. "Spirit shmirit. I don't believe in spirits. I mean, sure those Millennium Items are powerful, sure they have magic, but a spirit? Come on!"

"You don't believe me. Yami shall we?" Yugi asked the puzzle.

"Yami? The Ancient Pharoh?" Keith's eyes widened.

Yami made quite a show of appearing out of the puzzle in a flash of golden light. He did, however, have the good sense to appear in his translucent form. "You were saying Keith?" Yami asked, arching a smug eyebrow.

"In-credible! How did you do that?" Rex demanded.

"The Millennium Puzzle, so that's your secret." Weevil commented. He reached out to touch Yami gently.

"Uh… Weevil, I wouldn't do that. He doesn't like you very much. He made a comment about your manners earlier."

Weevil drew back. Rex blinked, standing up, then sitting down, then moving between Yugi and Yami and looking at first one, then the other. "You… so thaaaaat's why you grew taller when Joey dueled me. I thought that it was a trick of the light. It was almost dark and I was pretty high up on the platform. But it's true, you DO transform."

"You're right." Keith looked them both over. "They look alike at first, but not after you look at them hard enough."

"That's right, and if any of you so much as lay a claw on Yugi I WILL beat you when we get to Duelist's Kingdom." Yami glowered down at the others.

"Like I ever DO cause trouble?" Rex asked.

"YOU and Mai don't cause much trouble. You play honestly and fairly, but Weevil and Keith still need to learn a lesson in Dueling Etiquette." Yami growled, before disappearing back into the puzzle.

"Yami-kun!" Yugi protested, turning red.

Keith rolled his eyes. "Look, I wanna get some chow and some shut-eye. It's going to be a long hike. I don't care about that spirit as long as it doesn't interrupt my sleep." Keith took the new copy of the map that Weevil had made for him and left.

Weevil was still staring at the Millennium Puzzle. Yami giggled at the back of Yugi's mind, because he knew that Weevil wasn't quite sure what to make of him. Yami-kun are you sure that revealing yourself was wise? Yugi asked worriedly.

Who will believe them Aibou? And if I choose to help you during a duel there's no way they can stop me either. Yami giggled. You wear me all the time, how is Weevil supposed to throw me in the ocean?

I hope you're right. Yugi said worriedly.

Mai stood then. "I'd better get going too. Yugi, I came up with a new strategy, do you think that Yami will help me test it?"

"Maybe a little later. Besides, even if he can't I'll bet Tea and Joey would." Yugi answered. "I was hoping to discuss tactics with him myself."

Among other things. Yami grinned, sending a ripple of lust through their link.

Yugi flushed. YAMI-KUN

"Earth to Yugi!" Mai waved a hand in front of his face. "Hello Yugi!"

"Huh?" Yugi jumped.

"What's wrong?" Mai asked worriedly.

"Yami was talking to me, that's all." Yugi shivered. Yami-kun not in front of Mai PLEEEAAAAAASSSSEEEE! He begged.

Okay, I'll wait to take you until we get into our quarters.

"Well as long as you're alright, I'd best get going." Mai said, opening her door. "See you later Yugi!" She shut the door.

Yugi went into his own room, shut, AND locked the door and fell back against it. Yami came out of the puzzle in solid form and scooped Yugi up in his arms. He poked Yugi in the stomach. Yugi giggled as Yami threw him in the air, catching him and pushing Yugi gently back onto the bed.

Yugi smiled up at Yami, who leaned down to kiss his aibou gently. Yugi responded to the kiss, shivering as he felt Yami's love through their link. "Hm… shouldn't we wait until after dinner? I heard that they're actually serving meals this time."

"I don't eat." Yami said shyly. He nuzzled Yugi gently. "Of course, for you I'd make an exception."

"Yami-kun!" Yugi protested.

"Shhhh!" Yami pointed to Seto and Joey's room next door. "They might hear us."

"Yami-kun." Yugi murmured, snuggling up against Yami.

Yami stroked Yugi's hair, cupping his cheek in his hand. "Hikari." Then he leaned in to kiss Yugi gently.

That was about the time that Yugi's stomach growled. "Whoops, I guess I'd better get something to eat."

"I'll be waiting." Yami said cheerfully. He fell back onto the bed to wait.


End file.
